Advertising display sign



June 16, 1931. w, BLACK 1,810,339

ADVERTISING DISPLAY SIGN Filed May 7-, 1930 /9 f g f 1 a Z1 I I b x 1 Z 2/ 2 I u u v X I /4 Q ll 6 v 5 32 4 13 f i I v 4- ATTOR EY.

' UNITED} .smrs:

Patented June 16,? .1931

WALTER 3, BLACK, or

; am na rarer orrrcra CLEVELAND, orrro, ASSIGNOR on ONE-EENTHVTO ARTBZUR J3 GILBERT, on-nnooxnvn, NEW YORK v ADVERTISING DISPLAY sren I Application filed May 7, 1930." Serial no. 450,355.

' This invention relates, generally, to advertising' display signs, and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel illuminated advertising display sign; 'Display'signs as heretofore generally con structed are largely utilitarian and more or less unattractive 1n designand though conveying the desired advertising information,

nevertheless-owing to thefailure of such signs to appeal to the aestheticsense, they are often completely ignored or avoided by the eye of the observer, resulting in the failure of" Qth sign-toconvey the desired information.

'- The principal-object of the present invenition isto provideanovel illuminated adver- 333 20. server to read and remember the advertising in the provision of an advertising, display tising display signwhich combines beauty of appearance with, great utility in displaying advertising, whereby' the attractiveness of the display; catches theleyeand causes the obinformation desired.

, Another object of the present invention lies sign so constructed and arranged. as to provideilluminating means for illuminating the chandise positioned above and rearwardly of advertising'matter displayedonsaid sign and also providing for the illumination of the area-upwardly and rearwardly of said sign,

thereby adaptingthe same for use in show the merchandise advertised or j other' Inerthe display sign.

" Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel advertisingdisplaysign having suitable reflectingsurfaces fordiffusing s and dlrecting "ght rays upwardly and rearwardly of zthe same.

' Still another object of the present-invention lies in the provision-of a simple, efficient hand, inexpensive advertising qdisplay sign which is readilyportable and is equally suitable, for-usein many locations. I

Other. objects I V at "this time. more particularly enumerated,

' will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

' Theinvention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

ofthe present invention, not

Fig. l is a view in front elevation. of the noveladvertising displaysign of thisinventon;

Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation of the;

structure shown in Fig. 1; V Fig. 3 is aplan view of thestructur'e shown in Fig. 1; and i Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the novel advertising display sign, taken along line-'of Fig; v 7

Similar characters. of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts. v

Referring now to said drawings, therefer at its top, said base having angular, legs?) at the corners thereof "and stepped side walls e positioned above said legs. "Theftop .5, of, base 2 is provided witha central aperture Base 2 is illustrated as of hollow con- I into which a hollow post .6 is threaded; Post 6 carries an electric light socket 7 into which a suitable electric light bulb 8 is adapted to V I "be threaded. 30 cases, display wmdows orother'desned' loca-fl tions for displaying oryillurninating either:

A flexible electric supply cable or cord 9 connects with socket? and extends downwardly through post'fi and has its free end connected to a plug 10 for insertion into a suitableconvenience outlet. The upper SUI?- face 12 of basetop 5is mirrored as by nickel or chromium plating the same, whereby this surface is rendered highly reflecting so that light rays falling thereupon from bulb 8 are reflected upwardly. The upper forward edge portion of top 5 is formed with a chamfer or recess 13 for receiving the lower edge portion of a translucent or opalescent glass or plate l l'. j Plate 14 is of substantially trapezoidal shape, having parallel upper and loweredg'es and upwardly and outwardly di-: 'rected side edges.

' Plate .14 is adapted to have any desired advertising or; other matter 15 printed, I

painted or .otherwise'mounted thereon, the

' advertising matter shown in the drawing'be ing merely an example for purposes of illustration. The plate 14, being translucent, does not enable the light bulb 8 to be seen directly therethrough, but nevertheless permits a desired portion of the light from bulb 8 to diffuse through this plate, thereby causing the advertising matter to stand out strongly, as viewed from the front and en abling the easy reading of the same. The lower edge portion of plate i l retained in fixed position within ehamfer 18 by a plaque or U-shaped ornamental plate 16. The lower connecting portion 18 of plaque 16 is secured, as by screws 17, to the uppermost rise of the stepped front wall 4 of base 2. The side legs of theU-shaped plaque 16 extend upwardly and outwardly at the ends of the connecting portion 18 and are positioned in overlying re- .lation to the side'edge portion of translucent plate 14;. These sidelegs are embellished or adorned with three successively arranged designs'of substantially trapezoidal shape, simulatingtheshape of the translucent plate 14, thereby causing the display signto have an extremely attractive appearance as viewed from the front thereof.

The advertising display sign is provided at its sides and back with a reflecting shield 19, preferably ofsheet metal and of a material which takes on and retains a high polish when buffed, such as aluminum. The interior surfaces of the walls of shield 19 are bufi'ed, sothat light falling upon them from bulb 8 is readily reflected. Reflecting shield 19 has its lower portion secured, as by screws 20, to the base 2 along the sides and the rear of this base. From the base 2, the reflecting shield 19 extends upwardly and outwardly as especially shown in Fig. 3, thereby providing outwardly inclined or flared inner side reflecting surfaces 21 and 22 and'a back reflecting surface 23. The forward edges of the side walls of shield 19 are illustrated as retained in abutting relation to the side edges of the translucent plate 14 by means of lugs .24 formed onthe rear surface of plaque 16. v The forward edges of the side walls of shield 19 are longer than the rear edges of these walls, thereby causing the upper edges of the side walls to be downwardly and rearwardly inclined. This construction of the side walls 8 from striking the eyes of the observer, such light as falls upon the side wall reflecting surfaces 21 and 22 being reflected upwardly and ,outwardly from the interior of the dis- P ay gn- In Fig. 4 there is illustrated by arrows the directions taken by a representative group of rays passing from bulb 8. It will be noted that these rays are reflected from the surfaces 12, 21, 22 and 23 and from the rear wall of translucent plate 14 so that the rays from the light bulb .8 produce a flood of light extending upwardly and rearwardly and to the sides from the advertising display sign,

thereby effectively illuminating the area behind the display sign and enabling the same to be used for illuminating the goods advertised by the sign or other merchandise positioned behind the sign, while at the same time rect rays of light from bulb 8 from striking the .eyeof the. observer, while at the same time the entire light output of the bulb 8 is utilized either to illuminate advertising matter 15 orto illuminate groups of other objects positioned behind, above and tothe side of the advertising display sign.

Owing to the ready portability of the sign of this inventiomthe same may be used in or upon counters, in show windows or in other places wherever advertising and displaying is desired.

It will be apparent in some instances, as when a large volume of light is desired directly'behind the novel advertising sign of this invention, that the portion ofthe refleeting shield 19 along the rear of the base 2, i. e. the reflecting surface 23 may be omitted, and at times the entire reflecting shield may be omitted. It will be obvious that the plate 14may be mounted in various ways upon the forward part of the base 2 other than the manner shown. For example, this plate may be mounted in a channel member attached to base as will be apparent.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently mounted upon the forward portion of said" base and extending upwardly therefrom for receiving advertising matter to be illuminated, said plate having upwardly and outwardly inclined side edges, a source of light moimted upon said base rearwardly of said;

translucent plate for illuminating the advertising matter thereon, and a reflecting shield mounted upon said base in surrounding relation to said source .of light, said reflecting shield having upwardly and outwardly inclined side and back walls, the top surface of said base and the inner surfaces of said reflecting shield being mirrored and cooperating with the rear surface of said translucent plate for reflecting and diffusing light. from said source upwardly and real I wardly with respect to said display sign.

2., An advertising displaysign' comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular base, a translucent plate of substantially trapezoidal shape having its lower edge portion mounted on said base and extending upwardly therefrom, advertising matter contained '-upon the forward surface of said translucent plate, a U-shaped plaque secured to said base and positioned forwardly of said translucent plate, a reflecting shield attached ,i at its lower edge portion to the side and back through said translucent plate to define said advertising matter, and another portion of the, light from said'source being reflected from the rear surface of said translucent 7 plate and from said reflecting shield so as to diffuse upwardly and rearwardly of said display sign; 7 v 3. An advertising display sign comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular base having a recess in the forward portion thereof, a translucent plate of substantially trapezoidal shape having its lower edge portion mounted insaid recess and'extending upwardly from said base, advertising matter contained on the forward surface-of said, translucent plate, a U-shaped plaque secured to said base and positioned forwardly of said translucent plate for retaining said plate in position in said recess, a reflecting shield attached at its lower edge portion to the side and back walls of said-base, said reflecting shield extending upwardly and outwardly from said base and having interior reflecting surfaces, and a light source mounted on the top of said base rearwardly of said I translucent plateand within the confines of said reflecting shield, a portion of the light from said source passing through said translucent plate to'deflnesaid advertising matter and another portion of the light from said source being reflected from the rear surface of said translucent plate and from said refleeting shieldso as to diffuse upwardly and rearwardly of said display sign.

4. An advertising display sign comprising in combination, a substantiallyrectangular forwardly of'said translucent plate for retainin the latter in positionin said recess, a r

reflectlngqshield having interior reflecting surfaces and being attached at its'lower edge portion to the side and back walls ofsaid base, said reflecting shield extending upwardly and outwardly from said base, and a light source mounted on the top of said base rearwardly of said translucent plate and within the confines of said reflecting shield, a portion of the light from said source passing through said translucent plate to define said advertising matter, and another portion of the lightfrom said source being reflected from the rear surface of said translucent plate and from said reflecting shield i so as to diffuse upwardly and rearwardly of said display sign, said mirroredbase top aiding in the reflecting of the light.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this I 21st dayof April, 1930.

WALTER H. BLACK;

7 I base having'stepped side walls and a top pror vided with a mirrored upper-surface, said base having a recess in the forward portion thereof, a translucent plate of substantially trapezoidal shapehaving itslower edge port1on mounted in said recess, advertising mat-e I j ter contained on the forward surface of said translucent plate, a U-shaped ornamental plaque secured to said base and positioned 

